1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to wireless messaging systems and, more particularly, to a wireless messaging system providing audible real-time, route-specific information, including weather as well as actual and potential traffic conditions.
2. Background of the Invention
Traffic congestion has become a commuter""s biggest headache. As society has grown more mobile, the number of vehicles clogging our roads has dramatically increased, resulting in longer commute times and frustrated commuters. This congestion has many causes, including traffic hazards, vehicle accidents, road construction and maintenance, and volumes of traffic that overwhelm the capacity of the highway system.
Due to the continuing severity of this problem, many commuters take precautions before and during their commutes to avoid this congestion. For example, many commuters listen to television stations or access Internet sites that provide local traffic and weather information. Armed with this information, these commuters hope to avoid any unnecessary delays on the highway. Since traffic and weather conditions are changing constantly, however, the information that the commuters receive from these sources may quickly become inaccurate during their commute. To keep drivers current on dynamic highway conditions, commercial radio stations also broadcast traffic and weather information to assist commuters as they drive. But, although these radio stations provide frequent updates, this information is provided only at limited intervals. Further, each update encompasses only small portions of a larger geographic area.
Commuters may also be kept informed of changing traffic and weather conditions through the use of mobile traffic pagers that provide route-specific information. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,850,190, issued to Wicks, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference, describes a traffic information pager for receiving and visually displaying traffic information through the use of icons on a map. The traffic information pager under this patent compares incoming traffic information with a preselected route and displays any relevant information with the icons indicating the location, type, and severity of an actual or potential traffic problem. Similarly, U.S. Pat. No. 5,835,026, also issued to Wicks, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference, describes a commuter information pager that visually displays incoming traffic reports.
In operation, a service provider for a paging system compiles information regarding the weather and actual or potential traffic problems from commercial sources or by scanning the emergency service frequencies. Commuters who subscribe to the paging system each provide the service provider with a description of one or more preselected routes and, in return, receive a mobile traffic pager with a display. When traffic or weather information arrives, the service provider will compare the information with a database of commuter preselected routes and transmit the information to the mobile traffic pager of each affected subscribing commuter. Each mobile traffic pager visually presents the information on the display. After being notified of the actual or potential problem, each subscribing commuter may alter his preselected route to avoid any congestion that may result from the traffic or weather conditions.
The use of mobile traffic pagers, however, currently suffers from a critical disadvantage. When traffic or weather information arrives, the mobile traffic pager displays the information visually, requiring the driver to divert his attention from the road and the surrounding traffic. The commuter then must refocus on the mobile traffic pager and examine the display to determine which information is new as well as the location, type, and severity of the problem.
In view of the foregoing, a need exists for an enhanced audible traffic information and paging system that overcomes the aforementioned obstacles and deficiencies of currently available mobile traffic pagers.
The present invention is directed to a wireless messaging system providing audible realtime, route-specific information, including traffic and weather conditions. Through the use of the present invention, a commuter can receive information regarding changing weather conditions as well as actual or potential traffic problems along his preselected route and avoid any resulting traffic congestion. The present invention thereby provides the advantage of presenting the commuter with real-time, route-specific information without requiring the commuter to divert his attention from the road and the surrounding traffic.
A traffic paging system in accordance with the present invention may comprise a route-entry system, a receiver system, an audio system, a transmit encoder system, an automated traffic incident-to-audio message assembly, and a paging terminal. The route-entry system preferably allows a commuter to specify at least one preselected route. The receiver system may be coupled with the route-entry system and may receive real-time traffic or weather information. The receiver system preferably selects relevant real-time information from a set of information broadcast by the transmit encoder system that is specific to one or more of the preselected routes and converts the relevant portion of the real-time information into sound information. The audio system, which is coupled with the receiver system, audibly presents the transmit encoder information to the driver.
It will be appreciated that a traffic paging system in accordance with the present invention may serve to alleviate a primary safety concern regarding the use of current mobile traffic pagers. As presently used, mobile traffic pagers visually provide traffic and weather information using built-in displays. The commuter, as a result, must examine the traffic pager and its display to discover the information, distracting the commuter""s attention from the road and the surrounding traffic. In contrast, traffic paging systems of the present invention include an audio system that permits the commuter to learn new traffic and weather information without being distracted from the road. Thereby, commuters can more safely receive real-time information that is relevant to their preselected routes.